Religion Blog

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said yesterday that Archbishop John
Nienstedt is stepping aside while authorities investigate an allegation that he inappropriately
touched a boy’s buttocks during a 2009 group-photo session.

The archdiocese, which has been under fire for its past handling of allegations of clergy sex
abuse, said Nienstedt stepped aside temporarily after consulting with Pope Francis’ papal nuncio,
or ambassador, to the United States.

Nienstedt, in a statement separate from the archdiocese’s, denied the allegations.

The announcements follow the archdiocese’s court-ordered release earlier this month of a list of
priests that it said had been “credibly accused” of child abuse.

The archdiocese said it learned last week of the allegation about an 2009 incident and notified
St. Paul police.

Neither the archdiocese’s statement nor the archbishop’s gave details about the allegation.

St. Paul police said the investigation into the allegations began on Monday.